Abu Dhabi, UAE. 6th January 2010: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, which is being developed by Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), is intended to be a total golfing experience and, as the greenstaff ready the course for its first visitors this month, there is now an increased focus on off-course developments.
Leading Saadiyat Beach Golf Club's development as a culinary powerhouse is the recently appointed Director of Food and Beverage, John Gunn.
An experienced Troon Golf employee, the management company for Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, he previously worked at The Montgomerie Dubai for two years, and has spent almost a decade and a half in the F&B industry.
The 42-year-old New Zealander began his career in an alpine resort in New Zealand, before embarking on a career that took him to Australia and Qatar before arriving in the UAE in 2007. This included stops at the award-winning Observatory Hotel in Sydney and the Ritz Carlton in Doha.
He is now relishing the challenge of helping to establish the Arabian Gulf's first beachfront golf course as one of the foremost golfing destinations in the world, from both playing and dining perspectives.
"TDIC is, without doubt, developing what will be a unique golfing proposition, and a development which sets the standards for things to come on Saadiyat Island, in its quest to become a unique tourist destination," he said.
"The Troon Golf Philosophy is that a great dining experience is the perfect accompaniment to the game of golf - for players, for spectators and for those who simply enjoy the pleasure of dining amid an atmosphere of stylish comfort and quality. I am very confident we will create a culinary experience that will be unrivalled in the UAE golfing fraternity."
Designed by golfing legend Gary Player, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is one of the world's most uniquely captivating golfing projects.
The stunning Championship-ready Saadiyat Beach Golf Club features several holes with spectacular views of the region's glittering, crystal blue waters. The course official opens with the Saadiyat Beach Classic - an international top-tier charity tournament taking place 27-28th January 2010.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will be the only daily pay and play facility in the Middle East, and will offer each golfer, regardless of ability, a "Member for a Day" experience with the optimum level of genuine customer service.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is the flagship sports facility on Saadiyat Beach, a future magnet for high-end visitors and residents with its host of exclusive 5-star resorts that will create one of the world's most premium and stylish destinations.
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About Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, with its Gary Player designed course, is one of the world's most uniquely captivating golfing projects. As the Arabian Gulf's first and only ocean course, it will feature several beach-front holes, in a course that weaves in and out of nine five-star hotels lining the beach. About one-third of the course will command spectacular views of the Gulf's glittering, crystal waters fringed by pristine white sands.
The imaginative golf course routing provides a spectacular variety of golf experiences, with every hole having its own unique character. From the creation of an aquatic habitat, to the introduction of salt-water lagoons and restoration of the beach and sand dunes, the course has been designed with strict environmentally guidelines and sensitivity to the surrounding natural environment.
With its array of native grasses and sensitivity to local turtle habitat - just to name a few of the numerous environmental initiatives - the course has applied to become Audubon certified - an award-winning education and certification programme that helps golf courses protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf.
As the social and recreational heart of Saadiyat Beach District, the club provides world-class amenities such as the golf academy, practice facilities and an iconic clubhouse with breathtaking views of the immaculate white sandy beach - all to create an "unparalleled" golf experience.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is being developed by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), an independent company of which Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is the sole shareholder.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is managed by Troon Golf, the world's largest golf management company which oversees operations at properties located in 26 countries worldwide. Troon Golf managed courses include Abu Dhabi Golf Club, UAE; The Grove, London, and, Turnberry Resort, Scotland, host of the 2009 Open Championship.
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Dina Fouad
MCS Action FZ LLC
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© Press Release 2010
